Orochimaru had only come today to explain the situation clearly—
Once he left for the battlefield, no one could predict if—or how—he would return.
Before leaving, he turned to Kaito.
"As an experienced genin, you should occasionally take Nawaki with you on C-rank missions."
Then Orochimaru pulled out a scroll from his robes.
Inside was a C-rank Lightning Release technique.
A C-rank scroll required not only mission completion thresholds, but also 80,000 ryō minimum—the price of an average B-rank mission.
Lightning Release was rare in Konoha.
This scroll was easily worth 100,000 ryō.
The scroll detailed chakra flow routes, pathways, bodily responses during hand seals—everything needed to learn the technique.
But scrolls were single-use: the text vanished after one reading to prevent copying and leaking.
"You have all five chakra natures," Orochimaru said.
"You've… half-mastered one C-rank jutsu in Wind, Fire, Earth, and Water."
He coughed lightly, remembering the disaster of Kaito's "evaluations."
When checking Wind and Fire:
Wind Release succeeded.
Fire Release backfired and choked him—just like Obito.
When testing Earth and Water:
Water Release was fine.
Earth Wall collapsed on itself before Orochimaru even attacked.
Orochimaru had nearly expelled him as a disciple on the spot.
Utterly disgraceful.
"Now you only lack Lightning Release."
"I hope when I return… your psychological issues will be resolved."
Kaito, of course, couldn't reveal his true condition.
Orochimaru mistook Kaito's tired look for wartime stress—trauma triggered by memories of his fallen Team Six.
Kaito felt touched but kept a calm, indifferent expression.
"Thank you, sensei. I will… try my best."
Orochimaru didn't expect miracles.
He simply needed Kaito to keep Nawaki alive.
That was all he asked.
The End of Winter
By late January, the snowy season faded.
The sky softened, temperature rose, and melted snow fed the rivers threading through Konoha's forest.
Konoha Hospital Rooftop
"You're going to the battlefield?!"
"Are you serious, Mikoto?!"
Yakushi Nonō, now a full-fledged nurse, stared at Mikoto in shock.
Nonō had witnessed too many front-line casualties.
She never wanted her friends to step into that hell.
"But this is the only way," Mikoto whispered.
"I can escape Fugaku-jōnin's pursuit only by taking the clan's fast-track path to jōnin. I've already decided."
"Today… I'm here to say goodbye."
The spring wind brushed across her cheeks.
Despite her forced smile, Nonō saw the truth—Mikoto's decision was final.
"Did you tell Kaito-sensei?"
Mikoto shook her head.
"That's why… I only came to you."
"If he asks, just tell him I accepted a long-term C-rank mission outside the village."
"He'd never approve of this."
"You're still just a genin!"
Nonō tried desperately to persuade her.
"Mikoto, think again. There might be another way—"
"No, Nonō."
Mikoto wiped the tears gathering at her eyes.
"This is the only path left."
"For the past six months, I've trained constantly under the clan's jōnin. I'm ready."
Tears finally cascaded down her face.
"These months… Kaito-sensei, you, Duy-san, Rin-san, Nawaki…
Thank you all for everything."
Nonō cried too.
"Stay safe, Mikoto."
"You must survive."
"I will. And you too… Nonō."
Nightfall
Kaito resumed the night shift as "Kitada Aina."
He'd already mastered Hemostasis Technique—and even performed two surgeries:
One as an assistant observing Tsunade, who flawlessly removed rain-induced salamander toxin and necrotic tissue using Chakra Scalpel and chakra threads.
One as the primary surgeon—setting a fractured leg, aligning bone, fixing plates, stopping the bleeding.
He had to pretend to look exhausted afterward, of course.
No showing extra stamina.
After checking in on Tsunade's office on the fifth floor, he headed down to the fourth to see Rin's condition.
Moonlight spilled across the hallway.
A blonde girl in a nurse uniform stood at Room 404.
The door plaque read: Might Rin / Kitada Minato.
"Miss Nonō? Why are you standing here?"
She turned around—
Her face was streaked with tears.
Kaito's expression darkened.
Did that brat Kitada Minato do something to her?
Should've thrown a scalpel at him during surgery…
Hospital Rooftop – Later That Night
Bedsheets flapped endlessly in the damp air.
Each time a patient was discharged, sheets were washed immediately for the next wounded shinobi.
Kaito listened silently as Nonō poured her heart out—her worries, guilt, fear for Mikoto.
He stared for a moment at the starry sky, then up at the bright moon—the ancestor of the Ōtsutsuki clan.
Then he spoke softly:
"Miss Nonō."
"What do you think is the meaning of life?"
Nonō leaned against the railing, staring at the village lights.
"Maybe… to protect our friends and family?"
Kaito shook his head.
"Nope. That's your purpose, not the meaning. Try again~"
"Then… becoming a strong ninja? Becoming Hokage?"
Another shake of his head.
"Still incomplete."
"Then what is it?!"
Kaito smiled gently, patting her head.
"The meaning of life is—first and foremost—to live."
"To use whatever time we have, limited or unlimited, to do what we want…
To see sights we've never seen before."
"That, Nonō, is the meaning of life."
"And isn't that right… Jiraiya-sama of the Leaf?"
Kaito didn't turn around.
But he felt the presence slip out from the rooftop wall.
A tall, white-haired young man emerged—no forehead protector, only customized armor.
The handsome face and painted markings revealed exactly who it was.
Jiraiya's voice was grave.
"I have no rebuttal to your words."
"But now—state your identity."
"Why have you been impersonating Doctor Kitada Aina? What is your objective?!"
Kaito rubbed Nonō's soft golden hair—ignoring her stunned expression—and continued calmly.
"The surgery the day before yesterday… was a village test, wasn't it?"
"Yet I don't recall slipping up at any point."
"So why keep tailing me?"
"And using such a…"
His disguise melted.
Kitada Aina dissolved like vapor.
The true figure appeared:
A tall man in a white high-collar coat, standing brilliantly under the moonlight.
A colorful rabbit-pattern mask hid his face.
Dark eyes glinted behind it.
"Using such a murderous gaze on me…"
Kaito tilted his head slightly.
"Jiraiya-sama—
Were you hoping to experience the Operating Surgeon's specialty yourself?"
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